Make it special: This Mother’s Day (May 13), gift yourself financial freedom by taking stock of your money and bolster financial security for yourself and your child; meet some women who are walking the talk. read more

Barely two weeks after instances of fake PGI appointment letters being circulated online came to light, a similar scam is operating in the region, this time in the name of the international airport and the Amritsar airport. read more

Water, or the lack of it, has been grabbing headlines for the past fortnight or so with even the powerful and lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) being directed by the Bombay high court to shift match venues to ensure the precious resource is not wasted... read more

Psychology teaches us that people can live with anything and everything till the time they feel a sense of control over their lives. Even in the most adverse of circumstances, this emotion of being in-charge can do wonders and is perhaps responsible... read more

In the previous piece, I had referred to the increasing difficulty for an ordinary citizen to identify whether the medicine strip he has just bought is generic or branded as the packaging for both is almost similar, or at times, is almost a carbon copy... read more

Most of us who have had the misfortune of falling ill or are battling a chronic medical condition know that the healthcare cost in our country remains terribly-terribly high, mostly due to inflated cost of medicines. read more

LEARNING! The only real route to great riches remains the most vital skill one can have in the professional space. Yet, it is the most neglected concept in the country, especially in northern states like Punjab, my home state. read more

The internet economy has created several new jobs and concepts. One such concept is hacking, a profession that is only now gradually making its way to the mainstream, where people are running companies that offer solutions aimed at securing an organisation’s... read more

The current cotton crop crisis in Punjab and the attendant light it throws up on how we treat our farmers paints a picture that is far worse than anything you and I face in the course of our work life. read more

Going to court and settling disputes remains a scary thought for most of us. Even as we respect and honour the judicial system, the presumption always is — unfair perhaps — that settling any civil dispute in court should be the last option. read more

What is the most coveted hard-skill in employees? The answer in today’s multimedia and fast-paced world has to be the ‘ability to organise and make sense of information’. One could easily dismiss this contention as being too frivolous and something that... read more

Many of us are repenting having bought gold at around `29,000 per 10-gm barely a year or so ago. The ‘pain’ of having parted with those extra thousands of rupees, gets especially acute, when we hear that the prices could fall even lower. read more

There has always been an eternal debate between people who hold jobs and those who are into business on how a swap was all they needed to perk up their life. Businesspersons gripe on the fixed weekly-off schedule of jobholders and acutely resent the... read more

Imagine if you could print your house or take out a plastic miniature clone of your loved ones in 3D (dimensions), before your very eyes, all in a matter of hours, using your computer and a printer that is no larger than a normal desktop. read more

A thing that repeatedly strikes me about Chandigarh is how little the city’s road network has changed over the past two decades. All roads — almost to a T — have remained of the same width and no expansion has been done, except perhaps adding a cycle... read more

With the times Internet has revolutionised our lifestyle over the past two decades and it was only a matter of time before entrepreneurs turned it from a mere repository of information to a platform where money can be made. The story of internet as the... read more

A recent directive by the high court of Himachal Pradesh to the state government to register only those cars within the Shimla municipal corporation limits where owners produce a certificate, issued by the collector, that they have parking space, is... read more

Whether one is a self-employed businessman or a professional, success usually comes to those who have the best understanding of the people around them and can be at ease with a pauper as well as the king. read more

What is business is a fundamental question that has troubled us all since times immemorial? Here’s what could be a possible explanation that might lead to an answer using the concept of value. read more

There are two broad theories of economic policy that can lead to growth - the trickle-down theory and the direct subsidy approach. In the trickle-down approach, the economic circle is expanded by investing in creating projects that have long-term value... read more

The dictionary defines economy as a system by which a country’s goods and services are produced and used. The patterns in which resources (primarily money) move through the cycle define the state and type of the economy. A recent headline in newspapers... read more

Shopping for readymade clothes is an experience most of us look forward to. As the economy has exploded, readymade is actually the in-thing, though bespoke has retained its niche share for those wanting that perfect cut to their suits and wedding dr... read more

Ever considered what luggage to carry when travelling? If you are like most residents of the tricity, you would love to be seen with a suitcase of one of the leading brands in luggage manufacturing and retailing, even though the Rs 5,000-crore organised... read more

In the Southern sector of Chandigarh I live in, some of the residents have decided to carry out a survey on installation of gates on roads at major entry and exit points. The questionnaire asks residents whether they will pay up for gates when these... read more

The internet is magic for most of us, with unlimited mobile information, images and videos available on the click of a button. In 2014, the heads of almost all major corporations (Facebook, Amazon et al) that have internet as a ‘major raw material’ in... read more

Recently, an acquaintance’s eight-year-old daughter celebrated her birthday in school and the family decided to take toffees packed in transparent, small packets to class. Of course, they bought the savouries from the most expensive shop in town.Writes... read more

Is Chandigarh a smart city and what is implied by this most-used phrase in the context of cities over the past six months or so? The single most important criterion emerging out of the public discourse on the issue is that increased energy-efficiency... read more

Transport is one of the fundamental requirements of business and the recent strike by diesel-run auto operators needs to be taken as a warning. Over 10,000 operators and drivers paralysed life for the relatively poorer populace of the tricity for over... read more

What adds value to a book? The content should top the list, followed by paper quality etc. However, with reading habits changing fast in an increasingly virtual world, the business of selling books is in a state of flux. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

Wonder how many of us remember the traditional art of bargaining or price comparison as we hunt for the best deal. As technology invades all aspects our lives and shopping too gone increasingly online, it could make sense to use the same technology support... read more

Information and money are the two building blocks of the modern business world and in the interconnected world of today; it is unquestionable that the importance of these two variables is only set to rise. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

Transport and technology are intimately connected. The invention of the wheel was the first step in our travels, besides the good old feet, and since then we have even moved on to the red planet, Mars. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

A recurring observation in the tricity is that setting up a business for their sons and daughters is a prime worry for the city’s retired officer-elite. A question often posed is: “Which business offers the most margins at the least effort? We have this-and-this... read more

‘Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves’: this American proverb apparently does not apply to the conduct of monetary transactions in the tricity, at least where loose change has to be returned and accepted. Writes Madhusheel... read more

After a recent meal at a club, I came across a phenomenon that had been on the back of my mind for some time. The issue of the shortage of loose change and whether it is deliberate or unavoidable. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

The sale season is upon us. We are bombarded with persistent, fancy exhortations to splurge at the shops in the city square and other sectors. A pretty good deal, one would presume, but a ‘sharp’ business practice could sour the mood. Writes Madhusheel... read more

My late grandmother used to say that she enjoyed drinking water straight from the tap, as it gave her a feeling of abundance and purity. Cut to 2014 and you are unlikely to find anyone that would find merit in this argument. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

“A business that makes nothing but money is condemned to remain poor,” said Henry Ford. One does not necessarily have to agree with Ford to understand that all business, at the end of the day, has to have a philosophical core that goes beyond making... read more

A new advertisement of a detergent shows a young woman about to take her mother and herself to a treat at a five-star hotel only to be faced with disparaging remarks about her sense of dressing. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

Have you ever wondered how and why can ingenuity of thousands of humans come together to ensure that a plane weighing around 4 lakh kg stays in the air and take you around the world in hours? read more

“First, you earn money at the cost of health, later you try and get the verve back at the cost of money,” goes a proverb. Perfect health, the most elusive of human dreams, has spawned many businesses. Take a look around, you would be peddled variations... read more

Internet has had an eventful 40 years or so, since its origins as a simple effort to get two computers to send messages to each other. As an application of the science of waves and continued improvement over radio. Writes Madhusheel Arora. read more

The recent arrest of the chair man of Financial Technolo gies India Ltd, t he operator of National Spot Exchange Limited ( NSEL), Jignesh Shah, has sharpened focus on the sophisticated end of the business dynamic. This has been an issue that came to... read more

Internet is an interconnected network of networks that has transformed lives over the years, making it simpler, efficient, easy and convenient to communicate information and thoughts across geographies at the click of a button. Businesses were slow to... read more

Nothing perhaps satiates our appetite more than milk, the universal food across cultures. Have you ever wondered what it takes for that cold or hot glass of the fulfilling drink to end up at our table? Here’s a snapshot of the dairy business in the region,... read more

There are happy and interesting coincidences to discover when you start researching. The recent acquisition of Ranbaxy by Sun Pharmaceuticals for $4-billion (around 24,000 crore) afforded me one such mystery. Madhusheel Arora writes read more

Creating a new service and running operations profitably remains the quintessential challenge for all businesses, especially when it is in as subjective a field as education. YOUREKA Campouts Private Limited, a Delhi-based company, claims that nature... read more

An oft-quoted fact over the past decade or so has been that we have steadily moved on from an agriculture-led economy to a services-based arrangement. So palpable and strong is this sense that the assertion is taken at face value without any discussion... read more

Is parking a business opportunity? If you have been following the scene in Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR), you would know that there is a project on, which when complete, will allow users to book a parking spot in premium markets online, using... read more

Japanese electronic consumer goods maker Sony Corporation has lined up several changes.It will soon get out of laptop business, for instance. India is one of its biggest and growing markets and ranks 4th for the company worldwide in terms of sales, pegged... read more

What do you look for when you buy a pair of footwear? Comfort, style, mobility, attitude or plain covering of your feet. There is little doubt that the evergreen (approximately Rs 20,000-crore) Indian footwear industry has undergone a massive change... read more

A day or two in a quarter, most general-interest publications invariably carry an item on the Reserve Bank of India\'s (RBI\'s) monetary policy review. Sometimes also referred to as the credit policy review writes Madhusheel Arora read more

Having seen my uncle hard at work in a farm and his decision to quit school to till land, I have often felt that popular imagination tends to see farming as an esoteric profession and food production as something that will somehow magically take care... read more

Where are you reading this piece? On a chair, bed, recliner or sofa? Is the fixture wooden, plastic, foam, wrought iron, leather, or a bean bag? The practical art of making spaces come alive and utilise potential is the essence of furniture business.... read more

Lighting. An important part of life that most of us take for granted, except when streetlights go off or power fails. Take note of the fixtures and fittings in your house, offices, malls, etc., and realise that so much has changed in the way we use light... read more

After a dozen write-ups over five months, it becomes imperative to set the agenda for the reader for this calendar year.Writing has been a lot of learning and has cleared a lot of misconceptions. As you attempt to make sense of the enterprise around... read more

“If you really want to get anything done, ask a busy man,” US comedian Lucille Ball. Shorn of technicalities, all business is getting the job done as efficiently as possible with the most profitability. However, it is a bitter unstated fact that most... read more

Lighting and a comfortable ambience are the basic building blocks of most business operations, except perhaps a factory. Bajaj Electricals, part of the Rs 33,000-crore Bajaj Group, has been in the business of making and selling fans, luminaries, bulbs... read more

A spectacle is about to unfold. Finally, the Investors Summit as part of the Progressive Punjab branding attempt of the state government gets underway on Monday. Posters are everywhere, inviting you to attend the summit, now to be an annual affair, as... read more

Where is the next business idea for Chandigarh coming from? IT Destination North, a flagship event of CII into its ninth year, meant to promote upper north region as an information technology hub, was expected to glean out answers to the vexed question,... read more

As IT entrepreneurs go, he is perhaps a senior citizen at 32, but then Kunal Nandwani is perhaps an example to follow for those who undergo adversity and then bounce back, and build a new business. read more

Looking good and standing out, these are our fundamental desires. There is no business that perhaps taps more on this instinct than the beauty and cosmetic segment. A small-ticket business for a retailer, it is a hands-off trade, but is worth Rs 45,000-crore... read more

The UK’s iconic toy brand Hamleys has set up shop at the tricity’s plushest mall, Elante. In collaboration with Reliance Retail, the showroom offers a deluge of toys, starting from Rs 199 to at least the early thousands. Madhusheel Arora writes read more

Punjab deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal starts his ‘Marketing Punjab’ tour this week, targeting an investment of ` 10 lakh crore over two years. The state has identified health and biosciences as the two key areas in which investment will be sought from... read more

Pharmaceutical business lends itself to either revulsion or eulogy with equal ease. The subject is clouded with jargon, obfuscation and emotion, owing to the high stakes. Madhusheel Arora writes read more

Gold prices will take time to come down and volatility will be its hallmark, for some time. In a short-sighted response, the finance minister has advised us to refrain from buying the asset and increased the import duty to 10%. Madhusheel Arora writ... read more

Why is our FM advising us not to buy gold? Why have prices zoomed so dramatically? Is buying jewellery the only way to invest in the asset? Here\'s the first of two articles that unravel the mystery. Madhusheel Arora writes read more

Which business sells you novelty, convenience, luxury, fun, family time, satisfaction, happiness, service, entertainment, valuefor-money, and trust? All enterprises do, in varying degrees, but the food services industry is perceived to offer us all these.... read more

Affordable luxury -- the words roll off beautifully, but it is one of the most difficult business concepts to execute. A mall developer perhaps makes the most practical and realistic attempt with its design made to entice the rich, yet trying to cater... read more

There are no guide books available for this life-changing experience, and even if there are, these would not work as each child is unique. \"The best way to make children good is to make them happy,\" said Oscar Wilde. Madhusheel Arora writes read more